Matsuri Stream.jp

Overview

祭りの概要

Akita Kanto Matsuri is one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region. It has a history of over 260 years and designated as the Important Intangible Cultural Properties in Japan. No less than 270 of Kanto (long bamboo pole with arrays of paper lanterns) with a total of more than 10,000 lanterns crowded in the night of Akita city will give you a fantastic view.

It is said that Kanto festival is originated from "Neburi Nagashi", an event held during the Bon (a period that souls of ancestors come to their family's home) in the middle of the Edo period. The event had been held for ridding illness and maliciousness in summer, and it has developed independently from the original style.

The big Kanto measures 12 meters tall and has 9 storied horizonal pole on which lanterns are hung, weighs 50 kg. A total of lanterns for a big Kanto is no less than 46. A Kanto is carried only by one person and he performs acrobatic feats like putting the Kanto pole on a palm, forehead, shoulder and waist to the rhythm of a musical accompaniment.

In the daytime a competition of Kanto bearer is held. The performers are judged by accuracy of the skill, finess of posture and balance of Kanto.

東北三大祭りの一つで260年以上の歴史を持ち国の重要無形民俗文化財に指定されている。総数約１万個の提灯を用いた、巨大な竿燈約270個が、夜の町にひしめき合って浮かぶ、幻想的な祭りである。

竿燈の起源は江戸時代中期の「ねぶり流し」という真夏の邪気を払うお盆行事で、それが地域独自に発展していったものであるとされている。

竿燈は大きいもので長さ１２ｍ、横棒は９段、重さ５０kg、ぶら下げる提灯の数は４６個に及び、これを職人一人が担ぎ上げ、お囃子のリズムに合わせて手・額・肩・腰などの体の各部位に乗せる技を披露する。

昼間には妙技会が開かれ、竿燈の担ぎ手が、技の正確さ・姿勢の美しさ・竿燈の安定を競う。

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